Pianissimo device.



PATENTED 'A'PR.14, 190a,

H. L. DEGKER. PIANISSIMO DEVICE.

ABPLIOATION FILED MAY 18, 1907.

HERMAN L. DECKER, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

onmon PIANIS SIMO DE VICE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed May I8, 1907. Serial No. 374,328.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN L. DECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have inventedoertain new and useful Improvements in Pianissimo Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic adjusting piano actions, and the object of my invention is to take up the lost motion, when the soft pedal is used, by auto matic means.

My invention is adapted especially to upright pianos, but is not limited. thereto.

With this object in view, my invention consists in the construction and combina tions of parts as hereinafter described. and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 represents part of the action of an upright piano with the hammer in the usual position, and Fig. 2 is a view of the same with the soft pedal in operation.

1 represents the string, 2 the hammer head, 3 the hammer rest rail, 4 the hammer rest rail hook or wire, 5 the hammer rest rail dowel or lifter, 6 the hammer butt, 7 the jack, 8 the sticker or extension, 16 the key, and 15 the capstan screw thereon, all these parts being of the usual construction. The lower end of the sticker is provided with a foot 9, which is extended out and has its rear part lower than the front part, forming an inclined face, which contacts with the capstan screw 15. The extension rail instead of being made solid, as usual, is made in two parts 10 and 12, united by a hinge 11, the upper part 10 being stationary, and the lower part 12 being movable on the hinge 11.

13 is the sticker guide which is pivotally connected to the lower part 12 of the extension rail and to the lower part of the sticker 8. To the hammer rest rail 3 is fastened a projecting arm 17, to which is pivoted a downwardly projecting lug 18, perforated for the passage of the wire 14, and provided with a set screw 19. The lower part of the wire is pivoted at the upper end of an arm 20, which is rigidly attached to an arm 21, which in turn is attached to the lower partv 12 of the extension rail.

The operation is as follows :-l/Vhen the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, the piano is suitable for ordinary playing. When it is desired to use the soft pedal the hammer rail dowel is lifted by the action of the soft pedal bringing the parts into the position shown in Fig. 2. This raises the hammer rail and swings the lower part 12 of the extension rail into the position shown inv Fig. 2,

which in turn pushes the foot 9 of the sticker over the capstan screw 15, lifting the sticker 8 and thereby the jack 7, keeping said jack at all times in contact with the hammer butt, and thus taking up all lost motion.

It will, of course, be understood that in the drawing only one key and one element of the action are shown, and that a complete iano would contain a number of the parts s 10W11 in the drawing.

- Having thus described my invention, I claim In a pianissimo device, the combination of a key provided with a capstan screw, a sticker having an enlarged foot provided with a lower inclined face engaging said capstan screw, a two-part extension rail, the parts of which are united by hinges on the front thereof, a link pivotally connected to said sticker and the lower part of said extension rail, a hammer rest rail, and adjustable connections between said hammer rest rail and the lower part of said extension rail, said connections mcluding an arm rigidly attached to said extension rail, an arm rigidly attached to said hammer rest rail, a lug pivotally connected to said second named arm, said lug being perforated, a wire connected to said first named arm and passing through said lug, and a set screw for adjustably holding said wire, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN L. DECKER.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. HUNTER, FRANK S. RAMBO. 

